cheesy broccoli mac & cheese bake

This is the tastiest mac and cheese I’ve ever had- thanks to this recipe in Laura in the kitchen, which my loving husband recently gifted to me. I had him mark the pages of the recipes he wanted me to try and this was among them. I will definitely be making this regularly! It came out delicious.

Ingredients:

1/2 pound pasta of your choice

2 1/2 cups chopped broccoli florets

6 tablespoons unsalted butter (I used half of this amount)

1/4 cup all purpose flour

2 cups whole milk ( I used skim)

1 tablespoon dry mustard ( I used dijon)

2 cups shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiana-Reggiano plus more for topping

1/4 cup fresh or dried plain bread crumbs ( I used Italian)

Method:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Butter an 8×12 inch baking dish.

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and broccoli. Cook until the pasta is al dente. Drain the pasta and broccoli and return to the pot.

Add butter to saucepan over medium low heat and once it melts, add the flour. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute to cook off the flour taste. Pour in the milk in a slow stream while whisking constantly. Cook and keep stirring until it has a cream consistency- 4 to 5 minutes. Add the mustard and cheddar, stirring in a figure eight motion, until most of the cheese has melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add the sauce and half cup of the parmigiana to the pasta. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking pan.

Either top with bread crumbs as it is, or mix with some melted butter and scatter on top of the pasta. I did not add melted butter and didn’t miss it. Add some grated cheese over the top.

Bake until the sauce is bubbly and the top is golden brown and crispy, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool for 20 minutes (if you can) before serving.